Event Format:
Athletes competed in preliminary heats and final. The best athletes from each heat (Q) and a number of "lucky losers" (q) advanced to the final. The winner of the final was the Olympic gold medal winner.

Event facts: Men's 5000 m competition was held at the Beijing National Stadium and 39 athletes participated in the event.

These results for Men's 5000 m - Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics - are based on the official olympic reports and the Olympian Database